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Public health officers in the Bay Area counties and the city of Berkeley formally voiced their support Wednesday for the state keeping its mask mandate in place through June 15.
State Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly announced Monday that the state would keep its mask mandate in place despite the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updating its mask guidance last week to permit fully vaccinated people to forgo wearing a mask both indoors and outdoors in most situations.
June 15 is also when the state plans to lift its tiered reopening system, formally called the Blueprint for a Safer Economy, allowing businesses to expand back to their full indoor capacities.
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At least one Bay Area county is already working on plans to make it as easy as possible for kids to get the coronavirus vaccine.
Eighteen middle schools and high school across Contra Costa County next week will begin hosting COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Kids ages 12 to 15 are about to be eligible after the Food and Drug Administration approved emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine for the age group. Download our mobile app for iOS or Android to get the latest breaking news and local stories. I was feeling pretty hopeful because that means we can get one step further in battling this pandemic, said 13-year-old Angie Yao. I think getting vaccinated will be a big relief because being a child, although the effects of COVID-19 aren t as severe for us, we can still pass it on to other people and I think getting vaccinated will make the community safer.
Contra Costa County Health Officer Dr. Chris Farnitano said now that a majority of the county’s elderly population is vaccinated, it’s the younger unvaccinated people that are getting the deadly virus. Not getting the vaccine means you’re still at risk for COVID, and COVID is getting more and more deadly, he said.
He told NBC Bay Area the county saw 11 virus-related deaths last week. Three of those people were in their 60s, two in their 50s and other two in their 40s.
Despite Contra Costa County having plenty of vaccine shots available and walk-in clinics that don t require an appointment, the pace has slowed down.
Monterey County is on track to do move to the red reopening tier Tuesday.
For a look at changes that come with being moved to the red tier, check out the chart below.
By Tuesday, 26 counties are expected to move to the red tier for the first time since last fall, prior to the state s winter surge. In addition, all 11 counties in the greater Bay Area would be out of the purple tier. What that means, practically, is that California is making good strides in achieving the commitments to deliver doses to the hardest-hit communities across our state, making sure that our first line of protection is going to those places that have shouldered the greatest burden of disease, state Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly said in a media briefing Friday.